Travel & Tourism Students and Prospective Start-Ups, Be Eventful!

As an MSc International Tourism Management graduate, I have always been trying to explain to students how important industry networking events are, particularly for final year travel and tourism students and prospective hospitality and tour operator start-ups. If you have missed this year’s World Travel Market (WTM) hosted in ExCeL, London then have a read and see for yourself why you should attend the next one.

 WTM is the biggest travel and tourism event, pulling together hospitality, travel and tourism allies and foes under one roof. Held annually, usually early November, over four days the event attracts more than 50,000 delegates form 180 countries representing hospitality, travel and tourism businesses, tourism ministries and non-for-profits from around the globe offering countless opportunities for networking and generating ideas and business. Although WTM is generally being attended by industry organisations in an attempt to generate further business opportunities, I will point out why the event is particularly important to both final year tourism students and those planning to establish their own businesses after graduation.

If you are third year student – no matter home or overseas, who is about to embark on its final project, the event is a great opportunity to support your research by meeting organisations and individuals linked to it and collect first hand data. Regardless of whether you look forward to interview exhibiting businesses or hand out questionnaires and surveys to visitors, WTM will meet you with public, private and third sector organisations, which are not just from England, but most likely those from your home country as well. The latter gives you a whole lot of opportunities for shaping the study and data collection tools so it is worth thinking over it as early as the planning stage of your project hits.

For those of you forward thinkers, who are passionate about establishing a hospitality or tourism start-up, visit is a must - just go there and start networking with delegates straight away. Meeting likeminded individuals, getting to talk to them and sharing business ideas and issues is at the core of this international business event. You should be particularly circling around WTM start-up workshops, seminars and other sessions, such as this year’s How to Create a Travel Start-Up where one of the attendees had the chance to win £5,000 to get his or her business idea going. Attend interactive seminars, workshops and conferences as part of the WTM programme, should you wish to be up-to-date with the latest industry trends and developments. Meet prospective business partners, explore international markets and partnership opportunities. No doubt, there is a lot to be seen over four days and WTM’s dynamic programme will keep you busy from dusk till dawn.

In case you are international student and not based in England, WTM and WTM Vision Conferences are also being held in different locations around the globe, such as Dubai, Beijing, Moscow, Sao Paulo amongst others. So sign up and attend those, it is free! Surely now you do not have an excuse to miss this essential to travel and tourism professionals event.

About the Author: Deyan Hristov

Deyan is a Graduate Academic Assistant at the University of Bedfordshire Business School, where he has been engaged in various research projects. He joined the Business School in January 2013 and has also been working towards completing his PhD in organisational change since then.